This invention relates to wall systems in general and more particularly relates to wall systems having readily removable and replaceable panels and display elements.
In restaurants, offices, retail stores and merchandise showrooms, the trend is to make major changes in wall surfacing and/or displays during the course of the year because of seasonal changes or to prominently display particular products. This has given rise to so-called wall systems having provisions for removable and replaceable panels and provisions for selectively mounting projecting support arms. Typical prior art wall systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,014 issued Mar. 6, 1973 to R. D. Sukolics for a "Wall System" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,838 issued Feb. 1, 1983 to E. F. Vermillion for a "Curtain Wall."
With prior art wall systems, installation thereof has usually required the services of skilled mechanics. This was especially true when the wall system was attached to a wavy wall or a badly out-of-plumb wall. In those instances where installation of prior art wall systems was relatively simple, these systems generally lacked versatility and adaptability. That is, prior art wall systems permitted display alterations only with great effort, and often they did not have saw-tooth or wing sections and/or did not provide a finished look.
As will hereinafter be seen, in accordance with the instant invention, the foregoing limitations and/or difficulties associated with prior art wall systems are eliminated by constructing a main grid that consists of horizontal support channels that are secured directly to a wall and vertical standards that are secured to the fronts of the channels. The horizontal support channels are of generally U-shaped cross-section and have outwardly flaring ears at the rear thereof, while the standards are connected to the web at the front of the channel. Each web is provided with equally spaced apertures disposed at a longitudinal row and in one embodiment of this invention each standard is provided with holes that are equally spaced and are disposed in two vertical rows. These rows are spaced apart by the distance between adjacent apertures in the web of the channel so that by securing a standard to a channel, these elements automatically cross at right angles.
In constructing the grid, the first support channel that is mounted to the wall must be straight and horizontal and its web must lie in a vertical plane. Thereafter, standards are secured to the web of the first channel and as the former are secured they are automatically located in a single vertical plane. Additional channels are then slipped behind the standards and are secured thereto so as to be parallel to the first channel. This assures that all of the channels lie in a single plane. Spaces between these additional channels and the supporting wall are taken up by shims that are located at points where these channels are attached to the wall, and then these channels are secured to the supporting wall.
The arms of the main channel diverge slightly in the direction away from the connecting web. This permits nesting of one channel member with another channel member to facilitate the construction of auxiliary wall sections such as a wing or saw-tooth. That is, to construct an auxiliary wall section, the arms of a channel section are notched at predetermined locations to permit bending of the channel section web at locations defined by the notches. The channel is bent into a mounting section and a panel supporting section which are at a predetermined angle with respect to each other. The mounting section is telescoped over one of the main channel sections that is secured to the mounting wall and the supporting section is positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to this main channel. One or more additional supporting sections are formed in the channel member having the original supporting section and finally another mounting section is formed at the end of this channel member remote from the other mounting section. When necessary, cross-bracing is provided between one or more of the mounting sections and the main channel section that is secured to the wall.